Foreign Film bouquet

Last night, from England, The Killing of Sister George (1968), at the time of US release, so shocking that it was given an X rating! On one viewing, I found it disquieting, since all the women were so hard and manipulative, with the exception of the small part of the neighbor, a whore, who was .... friendly, in the best sense. Since I'm still thinking this film over, and it has such high marks from so many people on IMDb, I guess I should see the DVD version before I give an equivocal rating. Props to Robert Aldritch, the director, for making a landmark lesbian film in the Sixties -- before Stonewall! And to Beryl Reid (June 'George' Buckridge), Susannah York (Alice 'Childie' McNaught) and Coral Browne (Mercy Croft) who gambled their careers on these roles, and did such a superb job. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063185/

Another shocker, this one from Germany and Hungary - Mephisto (1981). What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lost his soul? This is the bargain made by Mephisto, which is a slightly fictionalized story of German actor Gustaf Gründgens who gave up his ideals to remain an actor once the Nazis took power. Completely excellent. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082736/

From France, charming Ma Vie en Rose (My Life in Pink) (1997), about a little boy who must express himself as a girl to be happy and himself. I loved the depiction of French family life, especially the neighborhood parties. And young Georges Du Fresne (Ludovic Fabre) is completely charming. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119590/

Finally, from France and Italy, the hilarious comedy La Cage aux folles (1978) which is based on the musical play of the same name, and most Americans know by The Birdcage based on the same play. Superior in many ways to the remake, it left me wishing yet again that I knew French! I was sad to read on the IMDb message board that Michel Serrault, who played Albin Mougeotte /'Zaza Napoli' so magnificently, with such dignity, hysteria and love, has died. Also, Rémi Laurent who played the son, died of AIDS in 1989. RIP. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077288

The Bicycle Thief

Ladri di biciclette (1948) AKA Bicycle Thieves, is a wonderful and depressing look at post-War Italy. A family so poor that the sheets must be hocked to get the bicycle back -- which was pawned to buy food. And then on the first day of the job that bicycle was required to do, the bicycle is stolen. The rest of the film is the futile and exhausting efforts of father and son to find and reclaim the bicycle. Neo-Realism is powerful, but oh, so sad. Vittorio De Sica deserved the special Oscar awarded him the year after he refused to allow censors to cut his masterpiece. http://imdb.com/title/tt0040522

Cinema Paradiso

Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1988) might be the finest film I've ever seen. And wonderfully, the director's cut is almost a different film, and also very fine. Another film about the movies and love of movies, Cinema Paradiso follows the life of an impoverished Sicilian boy as he grows up and becomes a successful film-maker. His own father gone, he befriends Alfredo, the projectionist at Cinema Paradiso. So wonderfully satisfying in every way, this is one film I'll want to watch over and over again. I don't know how autobiographical this film is, but Giusseppe Tornatore is a genius. http://imdb.com/title/tt0095765/